Improve power transfer with shunt capacitor banks

http://electrical- engineering- portal.com/improve- power- transfer- with- shunt- capacitor- banks January 22, 2013

Shunt capacitor banks are used to an

increasing extent at all voltage levels. There
are a variety of reasons f or this like the
growing need f or power transfer on existing
lines while avoiding transf er of reactive power,
better use of existing power systems,
improving voltage stability, right-of -way and
cost problems, voltage control and
compensation of reactive loads.

Thyristor-controlled as well as breaker-

switched capacitors are used. Breaker-
switched capacitors are installed in distribution,
HV and EHV systems. Since detailed studies
generally are justif ied f or thyristor-controlled
capacitors due to the large cost savings which
are possible, the general guidelines in this
publication deal only with the protection of Shunt capacit or bank in Kolbot t en st at ion,
Sweden (Swedish Power Grid), 220 kV, 50
breaker-switched equipment by ZnO arresters. Hz, 100MVAr
Three-phase capacitor bank sizes vary f rom a
f ew tenths of MVAr to several hundreds of
MVAr. Both ungrounded wye and grounded wye banks are in use.

It is common practice to use ”restrikefree” breakers. However, since many banks are
switched on a daily basis, the probability of obtaining high transients associated with
capacitor switching increases. Furthermore, the standardized procedure to verif y that the
breaker is restrike-f ree includes only a limited number of tests.

The use of arresters not only gives protection if a restrike occurs but also decreases the
probability of multiple restrikes since the trapped charge on the capacitors is reduced.

The protection af f orded by dif f erent arrester protection levels and positioning (such as
phase-ground, phase-phase and phaseneutral) against switching overvoltages is dealt
with. Arrester energies related to dif f erent protection levels and capacitor MVAr ratings
are given and the guidance is summarized in a set of diagrams.

Resonance conditions are not discussed since the duty imposed is strongly af f ected by
system conditions and components, grounding etc. It is assumed, theref ore, that
harmonic and dynamic overvoltages in general are and must be limited by system design
and operating procedures.

SOURCE: ABB – Guidelines f or selection of surge arresters f or shunt capacitor banks